Chitosan is a linear compound made up of complex sugars. It is commercially produced by removing a chemical group from chitin. A naturally occurring bipolymer, chitin is derived mainly from the exoskeletons of crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, etc.). Chitosan has numerous applications in medicine, agriculture, food and non-food industries.
In the 1990’s, chitosan was introduced into the nutritional market and was particularly popular because of its favorable effects on weight loss and lowering cholesterol. However, much of this fuss was from emphasized results from a few studies. These studies were based on the hypothesis that the electrical charges on chitosan would bind to negative fatty acids, thus attracting fat from the digestive system and expelling it from the body. However, certain scientific research shows that chitosan is only a moderate “fat attractor” claiming that at best, unmodified chitosan would eliminate roughly 10 calories per day from one’s diet. In spite of this, chitosan supplements have shown benefits of weight management in recent reviews.
In agriculture, chitosan is primarily used as a plant growth enhancer and as a substance that boosts the ability of plants to defend against fungal infections. Given its low potential for toxicity, chitosan is approved for use both outdoors and indoor on many plants grown commercially and by consumers. Additionally, chitosan is useful in filtration processes due to its ability to bind with particles and remove sediment. In medicine, chitosan has shown ability to clot blood rapidly. Recently, it has gained approval in the USA for use in bandages and other hemostatic products. Furthermore, chitosan is hypoallergenic and has natural anti-bacterial properties, making it an excellent agent in bandages.
References: (1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine
(2) http://www.zhion.com/herb/Chitosan.html
